Monday, March 9, 2009

Some Ideas For Airline Travel....

Now that I am getting somewhat famous for my airline skills, and am almost certain to be called upon to share this Great and Wonderful Wisdom and Magic, I thought I might take time by the fetlock as they say, and tell you now...At least I have a few tips I can share....

So, you want t take a trip and you want to get there on a plane. If you travel a lot, consider getting a subscription to the OAG (Official Airline Guide) It list EVERY flight on every day, very handy for getting an idea of who flies where. Consult it, if you have it, saves some time.

The first thing you do is go to one of the travel sights. Travelocity, Orbitz. Don't book there right away, just look and see who is offering the best deals, they do not list all airlines tho, so you have to be kind of savy.

Once you get an idea of who is offering the best deal, go to the airline website. Play around, sometimes the price can differ by hundreds of $$ depending on the time of day. Search 1-3 days before and after. Do you have Frequent Flyer Miles (ALWAYS sign up for FF miles. If you can, get a credit card that gives air miles on the airline you fly most, adds up quickly)

If you can, always book directly with the airline. Then, if there is a problem, you can go direct to them. All tickets have value, if booked with the airlines. Non-refundable does not mean un-changeable. Even if you have to cancel, you still retain the value of the ticket, minus a change fee. You have a year to re-book, and it does not need to be the same trip, you can apply the money to any ticket.

If you fly a lot, you can achieve Silver, Gold or Platinum status. This is very handy. You get upped to First if there is room, you get mileage bonuses, and a nifty special line to cut to the front at security.

Sign up for alerts from your airlines. They send you e-mails saying "WOW! LOOK! It's a total sale!" On Travelocity you can sign up for a thing that sends you e-mail if your listed cities drop below a certain $$ amount.

Let's talk about ticketing agents. Most people hate them. If your flight is canceled, don't go stand in line with a hundred angry people. This agent will not be happy or sympathetic. Call the airline from a quiet, tranquil corner, perhaps with a lovely cup of chai, or a martini.

And when you call, they will say "Hello, this is Jane, how can I help you" Pay attention to the voice. Is it friendly? Start off with "Hi Jane, this is me, how are you doing today?" If Jane responds, pleasantly surprised generally, with a friendly "Well, fine and you?" You have a keeper. You are on your way to having a New Best Friend.

If the voice is un-friendly and fails to respond to your friendly overtures, say something clever like "OPPS! I left Fluffy in the microwave, I'll call back.." Then call back until you get a caring person. I will go thru 4 or 5 some days. Very worth it.

Once you have found your new best friend, do your best to keep them that way. If your flight has been canceled, don't get mad at THEM. They didn't cancel it. If you have a problem THEY are the only ones who can fix it. And THEY can do anything they want. Make them want to help you. Say "Well, I have a terrible problem, I am hoping you can help me" or "I need to travel, but I need to do it as cheaply as possible, can you help me?" Treat them like people. Use phrases like "What can we do?" "Can you help?" "You're the best!" or "yes, we seems to have 7 feet of new snow, how's the weather where you are?"

Say things like "You guys must be swamped right now" or "I knew there was a reason you guys are the best" Whatever it takes, they can do whatever they want. If they want to help you. Be the person they want to help. Sometimes I say things like, "you sound tired, are you almost done? I wish I could send you coffee" Not kidding.

(I have an edge here as I call on the Platinum line and can use phrases like "Latest movie, bestselling novel, signing for 1000's and Million Mile Flyer)

Be Friendly. You will get more. Even on a regular line. They spend their days talking with not so friendly people. Be the bright spot. Same applies if your luggage is lost. Don't get mad. Whomever you are talking to did not lose your luggage, they are the ones who are going to work to FIND it.

If you are feeling like an Adventure, you can try Priceline, I haven't used it in years, and it may have got better, but basically, you name the price and they put you on a flight, can be anytime, and often several stops, and it is a really un-changable ticket, NO value if you don't use it. And you don't get to know before you pay.

Now, Hotwire.com can be very handy for hotels, you pick the Star of hotel, and the area, and they give you a price, and after you agree, they tell you what hotel you have booked, but it will be in that area, at that price and the Star of Service you pick. Not sure it's refundable tho.

Back to planes. Research. Check out all the airlines and all the possibilities. Be friendly. That's all the advice I can think of for the moment, I know there is more, and perhaps I will write them down and post.

Another day.

And oh, very important. If you are packing for your Boss in a hurry, do not accidentally toss your wallet into his bag with the Ipod, as he takes off overseas. This will prove inconvenient.

Reading this post, several little light bulbs went on over my head. "Aha!" and "Of course!" and "Oooh, good one." Thanks much, Q.

After getting three major things accomplished before 10 am, I frittered away most of the day. Then fell into a stupor. Now, dinner done, I'm going to give the kids tattoos, get them to bed, and run errands. And we've planned a getaway this weekend to Calgary, where it's warmer.

thank you for these pearls of wisdom on the flight deck, i have to set flights for many people at once, but that is pretty easy, it is the changey-bingy-bongo stuff that you are such a pro at. Me, no so much.I usually just cry.

as for the radio silence here, well I was putting Boss on the plane on the NY end, to be scooped up by our Q-y-Q. and then when i got back, no internet, am now at the home of my parents. Must say that this visit is that much sweeter, and i will never take for granted the lives of my loved ones.Life is short, be full of love.

OH! Is that all you do? Fablo, no one can master your skills, belive me Ive seen it, tried to master-- uh, aquire, small portions of it. I tell ya, you make it sound easy! You are far too modest! You are the queen of making things happen when all looks grim. although being nice does help alot, you have something extra that just makes you, well.. Fabulous!! and things happen:)

May I add: Kayak.com is really good for fare searching-- it checks airlines and travel sites, and does comparisons. Also gives you the price difference between airline and travel site prices.

And Paul says I should link FlightAware.com. Tracks flights while they're in the air with a map and a little airplane. I think he just likes maps but it's useful for keeping track of people you currently have in the air.

It's the international flights I wish we could do better with. We tend to book months in advance and then don't bother trying to change-- and it's always lower by then. And we don't stick with one airline, so we never rack up the FF miles. Ah well. At least we get Amazon points.

"So far away, doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore? It would be so fine to see your face at my door. Doesn't help to know you're just time away." Oh, Siri, I am now listening to my older sister's Carole King "Tapestry" in my mind... (And I'm the one who read On Beauty and Being Just years ago, talked about it here, would love to talk about it more.)

Q, your cats are too smart. They scare me. :-) Of course, they all learned it from YOU. Right??

Great tips! It always helps checking every possible travel site and also clicking through to the booking page because sometimes they'll be like Oh wait! Lowered the price. This is how I ended up going to Barcelona last year for spring break spending $270 including tax for my roundtrip ticket (and ok it did involve 12 hour overnight layover in Heathrow and having to sleep on the floor but hey I'm a college student, I can handle it. Plus so worth saving $300)

Jacqui, Fluffy "passed over," she just has a teenage daughter that keeps her running, not to mention her job. ;)

I think Coconut snuck out while everybody was distracted getting ready to leave. Is this the kitty that was having health problems several months ago?

FTR, hot water cornbread is more or less the same thing as hushpuppies. You don't use any egg, just cornmeal, baking powder, salt, a little sugar (maybe) and enough hot water to make a thick batter which you drop by teaspoonfuls into a skillet filled halfway with melted Crisco. Don't ask me why, but Crisco oil doesn't work as well. The breads will have to be turned, then drained on paper towels. Lovely, crunchy hot water cornbread is best eaten warm, does not keep terribly well nor does it do well to warm it up after cooling. You don't want to make it too thick. It is also good with black-eyed peas. :)

Hmmm, Adventure Wallet ought to be a comic. NO skills in that area or I'd start it.

Thank you for the airline tutorial. Glad to know I'm doing some things right. I've played that Fluffy-in-the-Microwave game with my cable company but didn't think to try it with airlines. A forehead slapping moment, for sure.

One question though: are you ever left having to take "no" for an answer? If so, how do you know when to give up? (OK, that was two questions, but they're very closely related...)

So the wallet will be representing you at the funeral? You KNOW you wanted to go in some small way, didn't you?

As for friendliness, yes I can only recommend it. Last year when I came to see you the first leg of my flight had been canceled and while i did go to the airline ticket both as per normal procedure, I made extra effort to be calm and friendly and my case was treated with far less hassle and more care than those of people yelling.

Same thing goes at post/bank offices or any public-type service. One of my grand father used to select the ugliest clerk on offer and flirt with them (apparently he was a great charmer) and always got the best of them as well as feeling good for cheering a poor soul's very drab day up.

So Mim hunts gyros. In fridges (fair enough, you are a tad far from the vast plains where the wild gyros roam). How clever of her (why am I not surprised?).You could try installing child security locks on your fridge door (I had to do that with my first cat).

Glad the location of the Adventure Wallet is known. If you'd put Coconut in with the Ipod we'd know by now...

The airplane tips are excellent. I mostly fly for work, and the government won't let us do stuff like that. And I hate talking on the phone so I mostly do the internet-only method. But perhaps someday I will learn...

At work, we have to use "authorized" travel vendors (agents) because they give us a discount, and then charge a $50 fee. Sadly, sometimes that fee makes the train or plane ticket more expensive. Talk about aggrevating!

The advice about being "best buddies" really is fantastic. These are the people who can get you what you need.

I love Adventure Wallet! Thank God I am not the only one who has done that :) Many sage words of advice. They will come in handy this summer, I feel.The Bengals crack me up. Hopefully they are not plotting World Domination any time soon... or are they?

Ah, Kira, let me inform you of the Bee-Bengal Alliance. I do believe that their objective is, in fact, world domination. They definitely have numbers on their side, and mad scientist Dan Guy.

Opposing them (?) is Cabal's Cabal, whose primary human proponent is Dread Val. Whether they want world domination, or just to stop the Bee-Bengal Alliance is somewhat obscure.

In the new Fiendocracy, the Fabulous Lorraine will be Queen Empress of Everything. Since Ms. Fabulous feeds and cares for Bengals, Cabal and Bees...well, I think you can surmise where my loyalties lie. ;)

After a bitter falling out, during which I accused them of being too evil and insufficiently mad, and they accused me of FAILING TO KNEEL BEFORE YOUR BETTERS HUMAN SWINEZZZZZ!!, the Bee-Bengal Alliance and I have mended things. Mostly large death machines with big pointy claws for the rending and the tearing and the stinging FREUNLAVEN!

Also we've buried the hatchet (so that I can't use it to chop holes in the newly mended death machines, and they can't go all Lizzie Bordon on me).

Oh, and we've formed a tentative truce and come to terms again. (I get to live. And Australia.)

For those of you who enjoy reading "Realms of Fantasy Magazine," it has been saved from destruction! Tir Na Nog Publishing has purchased it, and hopefully will begin rolling out the next issue in May (maybe June).

I just KNEW there had to be an Alliance somewhere! My, my... I think that you are playing the game quite well, ariandalen. I think I shall follow your lead on this, if you don't mind. Always a good idea to get in with the Queen Empress on the rise to the top :)

Wonderful post on getting people to want to help you. Catching flies with honey, not vinegar!

I spent a few years as Customer Service in a bank (real people in a lobby, not phone support)- and I can tell you the easiest people to help are the ones who know how to make you WANT to help. Claiming to know some High muckety-muck in the company never works- if you were that close you wouldn't be calling me.

Glad Coconut has returned unharmed to the fold. There does seem to be a recent trend for Q-related kitties to go on Adventures, Springtime restlessness plus full moon (which was AMAZING here this evening, huge big buttermilk disc hanging low over the bay).

Time now for hot chocolate and a so-called "Book". Oh and I have to strongly recommend Shaun Tan's new book, just gorgeous.

I have heard from many fiends re the gathering and am working on organizing the info I have. If you emailed me and did not get an email back from me confirming that I got your message you may want to send it again.

Wow Quiche... you do have the Jedi mind-tricks down when it comes to airlines. :-D

I've used some of those on tech support calls. I know when I'm calling tech support, I need one of the geekier geeks, not a fledgling. Usually listing what steps I've already taken right at the beginning of the call (along with the friendly "Oh, gosh... I sure hope you can help because I'm sooo stuck now since I've tried all the suggestions in the help FAQ") weeds out the script-readers because that usually exhausts their knowledge. By doing that, I get passed on to someone who has to think beyond the troubleshooting script, which saves about 20 minutes. Everyone wins. I think the one thing all these tips have in common is connecting in a good way with the person who has the power (or is that POW-AH!?)

How do you handle it if something goes miserably wrong (in a preventable way)? Do you complain to someone who can do something about it?

I had a horrible train trip once..seriously bad... the attendant was screaming at all of us late arrivals because they held the train for us. Why were we late? The previous train was late. None of us were in control of either the late train, nor the train that was held. But this guy was nuts - getting right in your face and yelling type of nuts. I didn't say a word back to him at the time, but took many notes in my laptop documenting his name, the abusive language, and the lack of services usually provided. When I got home, I composed a letter of disappointment with their usually stellar service and sent it to the corporate office. I got a letter of apology and a free first class roundtrip fare to New York for my troubles. I'm not a professional complainer who works companies for freebies - you've got to be *really godawful* to inspire me to wish your head on a plate. Anyone can get a "had a bad day" pass, but nobody gets a "psycho off his meds" pass. Prison warden was more his style. :P

This travel advice will come in handy. I think about going to MN and then I find myself feeling all muddled about the travel - "Where do I start? How much will a flight cost? How do you even book airline tickets in the first place?!"

IF my husband was able to record the live webcast on St. Patrick's Day, which hours would you prefer? I don't think he can get the entire 9 hours (or more), but maybe 3-4 hours. So, beginning, middle or end?

I'm not making any promises, as it may not happen. Still, there is a possibility. :)

Fluffy here - back out of the microwave, thank you very much! Prior to my incarceration in the small appliance I was off in Fluffy's World (which is quiet and nice) and came back when the spouse told me about Neil's dad. We are sad for them and for you, Quiche. Both of us have lost our dads, and we feel for him.

I haven't finished this thread yet but wanted to say that I think I'll be able to make it in June. I may have the Very Civilized But Still Fiendish 14-year-old. She has a very naughty and, er, mature sense of humor. Plus she's taller than me, so she can pass for older. Which isn't so keen from my perspective. I'm also a good loco parentis-type. Been FBI Certified and all, having been a Federal bank examiner. I will finish this thread and then send the requisite emails.

A thought itching my brain on the topic - it's not just about catching more flies with honey; being polite and friendly and non-confrontational, making an effort to be The Bright Spot, it's just the decent way to treat a Human Being whose job it is to help you. Win-win. Like Tommy said, those jobs in the public eye are tough. You get so much abuse. I imagine many of the surly folks don't start out that way.

But for the nutters like Maureen described - I had one particularly dreadful teacher in undergrad. A group of students decided to talk to the department head. We were encouraged to write letters, and moreover to each write our own. Supervisors will pay more attention to a large number of individual letters, than one letter signed by the same number of people. If enough people write coherent, constructive letters of complaint, whacko train attendants and their ilk are a LOT more likely to be removed from the position. Win-win again.

Pleasant dreams and mornings, all! I'm for a small dish of ice cream, and watching The Riches - finally investigated a great local movie rental place last night.

I am laughing at you all - yer very funny. Now I know why I felt odd recently - I "crossed over" without even realizing it.!

[Yes. Fluffy in the microwave works well. We had a Fiend named Fluffy once, where did she go?...I was wondering about the fiend Fluffy the other day? I was also wondering if all the fiends successfully "crossed over". ...I've played that Fluffy-in-the-Microwave game with my cable company]

Now, that last one just sounds naughty to me, but that may be because I just finished Christopher Moore's latest.

I liked this one, too:'My personal nightmare always went the same way-Me: so when was the last time you balanced your checkbook?'

Oooh, before I was a bank examiner I was a banker. Only one of the dozens and dozens of shouting people who had been bouncing checks all over town really did not cause it (the loan department was at fault.) And I was always the one stuck with the people (or businesses!!!) who never balanced their accounts - "See, you changed your $1,000 overdraft line of credit into a $1,000 positive balance by not carrying down the "-" sign, so you really have $2,000 less than you thought..."

And we always treat waiters/clerks politely, and usually friendly-ly. It helps having been on the other side of the desk/table/counter. The spouse is a million-miler Platinum-for-Life guy, too, which does make life easier, especially since we're here at American's hub.

There. I'm catching up a bit. I blame track season. The Offspring never did team sports until this year. What fun for me! "Break out the sunscreen; you get to sit for five hours since your daughter is running the first and second-to-last events." Aaargh. On the plus side, since I bring lots of snacks, I have lots of adoring teenage friends.

I have carried a Secret clearance since my initial training in the Army Reserves, it is necessary to my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty, DO keep up ;)).

These are "reinvestigated" every ten years. I've done the appropriate questionaires, and rec'd an email from my unit stating "you also have to have fingerprint cards; go to your local Police station and they can do them."

My unit is in California....maybe that makes a difference.

I trot off to the local station here in New Mexico. They are very nice. They inform me that, while they would be happy to print my fingerprints for me, all they have to put them on are booking cards. As in, "you are being arrested" cards.

NOT the first idea you want to put into the heads of those reviewing your clearance application.

Trot off to sheriff's office--same answer. State Police--same answer.

Lots of smiles, though.

Local National Guard unit is FAR more helpful, and connects me w/THEIR expert.....who informs me that, since this is a reinvestigation....you guessed it....Fingerprints are no longer necessary.

But I had fun there for a couple of hours, and now have NEW FRIENDS in all the local law enforcement agencies. And I didn't even have to meet them in handcuffs. :)

And now back to our regularly scheduled sneezing. Though I really am doing much better, and greatly appreciate all the good wishes y'all have sent my way....

I will go back and look at Fiend travel plans post, but first I wanted to come here and say, I found this bengal video, this is definitely a bengal cat; mine sleep just like this! AND, this video is great to see what we mean by bengal voices. I call these noises 'dinosaur noises' and it's one of the sweetest, softest sounds they make.

Also, for airline travel tips, I kayak.com and sidestep.com are great (and use the same search engine to search multiple sites, then send you to the actual airline to buy your ticket. Totally agree with Q that this is the best way). In addition tot hat, find out if your airport is host to a hub for any particular airline. Try to fly it first.

Some of the /best/ flights I've taken have been on 'discount' airlines flying out of their hubs. Southwest, in particular, is GREAT out of Texas and much of the, well, southwest (and Chicago-Midway). Southwest, AirTran (I think), and JetBlue don't list their fares on the travel aggregate sites, so you have to check them separately. Usually it's worth it.

I just booked four plane tickets and for two of them, it made the most sense to buy from Continental (found via sidestep.com), but for other other two, I saved $200/each by booking directly through Southwest.com, which has super comfortable planes and gates in airports (at their hubs).

Kalpipha - I don't think even Lorriane's Fabulous skills would enable me to take a whole extra person with me ;-) (Unless of course you can sucessfully disguise your self as a wallet or i-pod....)

Treating people like hman beings - yes, that gets results (almost) all the time - I was on teh otehr end recetly - had someone who we (as a compnay) had previously done some work for. She rang up wanting some information and further copies of stuff from her file. OK. No problem. takes a little while becasue this file was OLD, so had to alert the Archive-miners.

File took a while to find, because it turns out that the name she gave me when she called is the name she was known by at the stat of her cae - and as we keep records up to date the file is stored uner the name she now uses, which. But we found it. When the file came up, I had a look and found that we had, in fact, answered the exact same queston and provided her with the same additional copies about 3 months earlier. Also realised that she owes us (as a firm) quite a bit of money for work one of my collegues has done.At this point my intention was to give the the copies,but to say I wouldn't go over the questions with her again unless she wanted me to formally open a file and start charging, as we had already given her a good buit of free advice on the subject.

This was the point at which she rang up and was rude and complaining to our receptionsit becasue we had not got abck to her yet this was about 48 hours after her original call, when I had told her that it would take several days to retireve the file, and that we would call her once we had it). reception put her through to me, (with a brief explanation of what she had been saying) which was when I decided that I would, after all, implement our policy (which is in alk our client care and file closing letters, but which we often waive) to charge her for the retrieval of the file and for the copies.

Her being rude and agressive to our reception therfore had a direct cost to her of about £35. Had she been nicer I would probably have gone ahead to give her the extra free advice anyway (albeit I wouldprobably have pointed out to her that we had already done this once)

I'm a bit like you, Maureen - if I'm on the recieving end of crap service / behaviour on I will put up with a fair bit, and will give someone the benefit of the doubt as far as I can, but go beyond that and it is head on plates time!

People feeling it's Ok to be rude/agressive to our reception staff or secretaries,becausue they are 'only' a receptionist/secretary but who are then nice as pie to me are one of my pet hates.

As a years-long veteran of the service industry, I definitely agree that being nice is the way to get the best service. Unfortunately there are far too many people who exclaim loudly that "the customer is always right" whilst being mean, obnoxious, and rude to service people. And so many managers/companies are so frightened of scaring away customers that service folks aren't allowed to say anything. I try to go out of my way to be nice to service people, because I have SO been there.

I like kayak.com. I still go to the airlines to buy, but it's stopped me having to research on a thousand different sites at once. It doesn't include the budget airlines like Southwest and JetBlue, unfortunately, but it's a good catch-all for the others.

JetBlue rocks. Not always a bargain, but very comfortable and easy. And they give you a choice of snacks! Can't beat multiple snack options.

What does everyone know about Northwest? Are they good? I've heard nice things and I've heard horror stories.

I had this idea once, that no one should be allowed to shop on their own in retail stores until they've first worked in one. That could be updated to, a person is allowed to use public services (bank, hotels, stores, post office, airlines, etc) only after a certain age AND having worked in one for, let's say, minimum six months. There could be a learner's permit, then you get a little certificate, plus some early job experience, and a greater appreciation for people doing any similar work.

And this idea of treating people with less respect because they're precieved to be "down the totem pole", reminds me of Gosford Park, especially the Inspector who ignores the capable policeman, and only wants to talk to people who were close to the deceased, thus ignoring the servants. :P

This is a human trait, isn't it? "Familiarity breeds contempt." A societal disdain for people doing the most essential jobs, including moms, teachers, peace officers, receptionists, postal workers, farm labourers, house builders, servants in other eras, or any era, etc.

Meanwhile, I have ceased to believe in Spring. You are pulling my leg, Jess, I'm sure of it. It is a myth. Gone the way of Santa Claws and the Ether Bunny. ::fingers in ears:: "La la la la la la la la la-la"

You are enchanted witch of travel. Your adviceis right on, I always check out the cheap tickets rates then book with the airlines directly, wise girl. Also, I call the hotels and ask for their best rates the usaully have better rates. Still , you are a wonder and your Boss is lucky to have you! Good job! loev geri - yoga gal

My high school chem teacher was all about the ether bunny. First week of class she showed us how an ether molecule looks like a bunny, with one big atom for the head and two little atoms orbiting it for ears.

Love the Ether Bunny, hopping through the interwebs and bringing baskets of naps . .

Na, I think your idea is an excellent one! If you lost your licence through bad behaviour you would have to do community service working somewhere such as on the customer service desk for RyanAir or easyJet..

Fluffy--whew! thanks on the correction. I was going through permutations for "Fool Mooh" trying to get it to work in my head & gaining in confusion. I got as far as Ful Medames before I hit your next post. Of course, not I'm hungry for Egyptian food...